DJI Air 2S – The official introduction of DJI’s latest drone

Finally, the day is here that DJI officially introduces the new DJI Air 2S with a 1-inch sensor, successor to the DJI Mavic Air 2 that was launched a little over a year ago. Is there anything we don't yet know about this latest DJI drone? Not much, really. Although the 150 Mpbs for video recording should make people happy. Let's dive in and find out what else there is to learn.

DJI Air 2S – The official introduction of DJI's latest drone

The ‘all in one' DJI drone is finally here. Today, DJI officially launches the DJI Air 2S with a 1-inch sensor. The new drone is the successor to the DJI Mavic Air 2, but with its larger sensor, 5.4K video resolution, and 150 Mbps, it will rival and likely outperform the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. The DJI Air 2S has a fixed aperture of f/2.8, whereas the DJI Mavic 2 Pro has a variable aperture. For more on the differences between these two drones, click here.

Let's keep going with the new DJI Air 2S. In the official press release, DJI claims that the new DJI drone ‘melds incredible image quality with unmatched flight performance.

DJI Air 2S offers 5.4K video at 30 fps, 150 Mpbs, and 10-bit D-Log

The DJI Air 2S comes with a 1-inch sensor, shoots 20MP stills, and can record up to 5.4K video at 30 fps and at 150 Mpbs. The drone also allows you to shoot in D-Log at 10-bits for improved color depth. It also shoots 4K video at 60 fps. Unfortunately, the drone has a fixed aperture of f/2.8.

The DJI Air 2S offers 4x zoom at 4K 30fps, 6X at 2.7K 30fps, 4X at 2.7K 60fps, 6X at 1080P 60fps and 8X at 1080P 30fps. The drone also comes with 8GB internal storage in case you forget to bring a Micro SD card.

Video footage can be recorded in H264 or H265 with three video color profiles, Normal (8 bit), D-Log (10 bit) or HLG (10 bit) to match their video needs.

The DJI Air 2S offers improved obstacle avoidance with two additional front sensors and APAS 4.0. The drone has sensors in four directions but lacks sideways obstacle avoidance.

The Air 2S also offers a suite of programmed modes such as Spotlight 2.0, ActiveTrack 4.0, and Point of Interest 3.0 to provide cinematic footage with precise focus and movements of the drone while recording. The drone comes with DJI's OcuSync 3.0 or O3 as it is now called. Flight time is set at 31 minutes.

DJI says about the DJI Air 2S that the “portable camera drone is an all-in-one solution, offering robust flight performance, state-of-the-art camera upgrades and high-grade preprogrammed content creation tools.”

To make recording amazing aerial footage easier, DJI introduces the new MasterShots feature, which “uses automatic flight path planning to set the drone's course while recording video. Upon completion of the flight, DJI Air 2S automatically merges the footage under one theme to create an eye-catching video.”

“Every creator remembers what it felt like to fly a drone for the first time, and they'll feel the same sense of wonder and possibility when they first experience DJI Air 2S's unparalleled mix of astonishing flight capability and gripping image quality,” said Ferdinand Wolf, Creative Director, DJI Europe. “DJI Air 2S is a wish list come to life for everyone who demands more from a drone, showcasing upgrades that truly elevate the system into a highly versatile drone. From content creators, to drone enthusiasts and travelers, we are confident that a lot of people will be excited about this drone.”

For still photography, the DJI Air 2S offers the normal options such as Timed Photo, AEB and Panoramas. However, this new drone also brings the SmartPhoto mode that captures “20-megapixel photos using advanced scene analysis and deep learning to automatically choose the best of three options that will create the most visually appealing image for you, including HDR, Hyperlight and Scene Recognition.”

DJI Air 2S pre-programmed modes

The DJI Air 2S offers pre-programmed modes for cinematic footage that approaches pro-level quality, the drone maker says. This new drone offers the most programmed flight modes and image capture modes of any DJI drone of its size. They include:

• MasterShots: Professional-level aerial footage has never been easier. After activating MasterShots, the drone will autonomously plan a flight path, choose from three different image capture modes, including Proximity, Portrait or Landscape, and start recording classic aerial footage. Pilots can choose different themes and the DJI Fly App will generate a unique video that's ready to be shared with the world.
• FocusTrack: Focus on the scene and let DJI Air 2S do the hard work for you. Select your subject by drawing a square around it on your mobile device, then choose from Point of Interest 3.0, an autonomous flight path around the subject; ActiveTrack 4.0, a tool that seamlessly tracks the subject and keeps it in the frame; or Spotlight 2.0, where the drone movement is controlled by the pilot while it locks the subject into the frame.
• QuickShots: A staple DJI feature, QuickShot modes include Rocket, Circle, Dronie, Helix, Boomerang and Asteroid.
• Hyperlapse: See the world sped up from the air and in motion with the Hyperlapse option in resolution up to 4K. Content captured in 4K resolution and lower can apply digital stabilization for an added layer of smoothness.

With four high-grade antennas and O3, the DJI Air 2S offers an unprecedented range of up to 12 km and should do really well in resisting any interference. The new obstacle avoidance system, also known as DJI's Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 4.0, now includes two additional sensors at the front of the drone to help avoid obstacles while flying at higher speeds.

To increase safety while flying your drone, the DJI Air 2S comes with DJI's AirSense technology which included ADS-B In to warn you of any manned aircraft that might be approaching. Keep in mind that the other manned aircraft will need to be equipped with ADS-B Out and have the system turned on, for your Air 2S to warn you. The Air 2S also comes with an improved Return-To-Home (RTH) feature and GEO 2.0 geofencing. DJI Care Refresh is available for this drone as well.

Price and Availability for the DJI Air 2S

DJI Air 2S is available for purchase today from store.dji.com and from authorized retail partners in several configurations. The standard combo retails for $999 USD and includes the drone, remote controller, one battery and all the cables and parts needed to get into the air. The Fly More Combo retails for $1299 USD includes everything from the standard combo with the addition of 2 batteries for a total of 3, ND Filters, a charging hub and a shoulder bag.

Get your Part 107 Certificate

Pass the test and take to the skies with the Pilot Institute. We have helped thousands of people become airplane and commercial drone pilots. Our courses are designed by industry experts to help you pass FAA tests and achieve your dreams.

Stay in touch!

If you'd like to stay up to date with all the latest drone News, scoops, rumors, and reviews follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or…

Subscribe to our Daily Drone News email.*

Submit tips If you have information or tips that you would like to share with us, feel free to submit them here. Support DroneXL.co: You can support DroneXL.co by using these links when you make your next drone purchase: Adorama, Amazon, B&H, BestBuy, eBay, DJI, Parrot, and Yuneec. We make a small commission when you do so at no additional expense to you. Thank you for helping DroneXL grow! FTC: DroneXL.co uses affiliate links that generate income.

* We do not sell, share, rent out or spam your email, ever. Our email goes out on weekdays around 5:30 p.m.